


Your Worst Enemy

by LaCacciatrice



Category: DC Cinematic Universe, DCU, Justice League (2017)
Genre: (not that serious but...), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Serious Injuries, eobard thawne is an asshole but that's nothing new, negative speed force
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-30
Updated: 2017-11-30
Packaged: 2019-02-08 20:30:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12872415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaCacciatrice/pseuds/LaCacciatrice
Summary: As Eobard Thawne once said, Barry's worst enemy is not Professor Zoom. It is the Flash.And Flash is slowly killing Barry Allen.





	Your Worst Enemy

**Author's Note:**

> Negative Speed Force is a real thing! Created during 2008 Rebirth if I remember correctly. But it was different back then. And this story is based on NSF storyline by Williamson. Yes, I keep saying I hate Williamson's Flash comics (he is a good dude but not a good writer for Flash) and I didn't like NSF story but I loved the idea. In the comics, Eobard shows Barry a future where him being Flash will cause his children to resent him (their father always being away, saving people etc) and they will destroy Central City together. He lies Barry about the only way of stopping this is going into the Speed Force. Of course, Barry accepts it no matter what Iris says. But Eobard cheats and leaves Barry in "Negative" Speed Force where he gets infected by it. Now whenever he uses his powers he destroy things around him, his super healing doesn't work, he is angrier and sadder plus it's hurting him. Though Meena used him to get the NSF so Barry is no longer Negative Flash in comics. But I adapted this story to DCEU (I only took the NSF idea though, I don't know if adapting is the right word for it). I hope it turns out okay.
> 
> Anyway, English isn't my first language, that's why my writing is dull and boring. Please, excuse my grammar mistakes.

Barry wasn't having a great day. Or week. First, Grodd decided to try to invade Central City, claiming that Barry took his birth right. Barry wanted to say him 'dude, let it go, it's been 2 years' but Grodd was obsessed with the Speed Force and he just couldn't accept the fact that Barry was the chosen one, not himself. Barry managed to stop him with Solovar's help who kind of became his friend. Even though having a talking super smart gorilla friends was weird, Barry was in no position to complain. They were good guys (gorillas) and they helped him to save the Central City. Also, having more friends was good... right? Apparently Speed Force was something sacred to their kind. So, when they found out that Barry was the one with the Lightning, they showed their respect and stood with him (at least Solovar and his friends did). It was nice to be respected for once, which wasn't something Barry felt a lot. But it was still weird to be looked at like he is something special, something so important. He was just... Barry. 

Later, David Singh, crime lab director of CCPD, yelled at him for being irresponsible and not showing up in time. Barry didn't say anything, of course, he was used to being pushed around and getting yelled at. It was still nice of James to pat him on the back. James Forrest was a nice guy and Barry was lucky to work with him. He talked about his dream yacht (no, really, his biggest dream was buying a yacht) quite often but Barry was in no place to judge people when it comes to talking too much.

Then Eobard Thawne decided to drop by which almost ended up with both of them getting stuck in the Negative Speed Force. Of course, Eobard was using the Negative Speed Force so he wasn't affected by it and easily escaped but Barry had to drag his own ass out of it. And since then, he was feeling different. Definitely not in a good way. His biggest problem was not being able to control his powers. And not in a 'I am going too fast today I need to slow down' way but more like 'everything I touch explodes!' kind of.  Barry decided to avoid using his powers until he knew what's the problem. 

Of course, bad guys had other plans.

When Bats called him for back up, Barry wanted to say no. He wanted to explain why he can't help them this time. But Bats was in a hurry and he pointed out that they need Barry's skills. Barry didn't know what he meant, he wasn't that valuable, was he? But in the end, he didn't question Batman. He was the Batman after all.

So, he sucked it up and suited up.   

League was fighting some sort of aliens in Metropolis. Nothing absurd like Starro, fortunately. Barry would joke about them being Clark's friends if he was feeling a bit better. 

"Flash." He heard Bruce's Batman voice through comm. "Clear the ground."

"Sure." Barry replied, sounding very unsure. His doubts must not be heard through the comm because Bats said nothing back. Barry took a deep breath and reached the Speed Force inside him. It used to be easy, like breathing or walking. A part of him. But it didn't feel the same now. It changed. Once upon a time, it was warm and welcoming. When lightning struck him and Barry woke up at hospital, he finally felt whole again. Like he was waiting for this moment his whole life, like there was a hole in his chest that was finally filled by Lightning. Now it was just hurting something deep inside of him, making him feel uneasy and nausea. 

He decided to do it faster. Maybe he could avoid ruining anything this time. 

Barry saw 8 aliens on his path, with the speed he was moving at, they stood no chance against him. His one touch was enough to send them flying through the air, perished. However, as soon as he stopped, he felt like he just ran around the world 5 times. In reality, it didn't even take 3 seconds to get rid of the aliens. His lungs were aching and when he looked over his shoulder he was the asphalt was cracked and destroyed.

"What the fuck, Flash?" Barry heard Victor saying through comm.

"I am sorry." He answered nervously. It wasn't good. 

"Try to be more careful." Victor said patiently, assuming it was just a miscalculation by Barry's side. 

"Sure." Barry mumbled, trying to avoid the growing pain between his rib cages. 

After only 10 minutes, Barry was worn out. He was sweating under the mask, dying to take it off and push back his damp black hair. Actually, all he wanted to do was to take off his suit and lie down, sleep for the rest of the week. Maybe month. It's been so long since his body ached like this. Actually, Barry couldn't imagine a time when he felt a pain like this before becoming the Flash. This knowledge was worrying, he wasn't supposed to hurt like this, not with his powers. Yet, Barry didn't know what to do. 

With a battle cry, Diana landed next to him and stabbed an alien with her sword, Barry didn't even see the alien approaching him. He felt like an idiot. 

"Watch out, Flash." Diana said, lowering her sword.

"Sorry, I was distracted." Which wasn't a good excuse for someone in his position. Diana took another look at him.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes." He answered quickly. He was slightly annoyed by everyone asking him that or questioning him. This was also weird. Barry loved it when people showed him that they care. He grew up with lack of affection and love. It was good to know that somebody cares. And he still found it hard to believe those people were his friends. Maybe they didn't choose each other and under normal circumstances none of them would become friends but they were still a family. At least for Barry. And he could never be mad at Diana. She was the nicest person he's ever met. It was probably one of the side effects of his newly found powers. 

Barry didn't know what else to say. So, he took this opportunity to speed away. Luckily, without destroying anything this time. However, his luck didn't last very long as his wobbly legs failed him, tripping over his own feet and faceplanting into the ground. 

He groaned and pushed up himself onto hands and knees. But a blast from an alien caused him to lose his balance and he fell to his right side. His shaky hands clutched his other side. Arthur's trident sent the alien flying through the air, leaving no chance for an escape. Arthur walked calmly as he owns the place and removed his trident from alien's ruined body, side eyeing Barry at the same time.

"Be careful, kid. Pay more attention to your surroundings."

"Right." Barry mumbled, looking down at his blood covered hands. Blood coming from his side. 

"Where the hell are you, Flash?" Barry heard Bruce's annoyed voice. Barry's bloody hand reached the side of his shiny red helmet. 

"I am... umm... I am here?" He felt like his already lacking social skills totally left him. Not knowing how to answer or not understanding what Bats meant... Why was he asking 'where'? Barry was here, wasn't he?

"You were already late." Bruce grumbled. "Now you are nowhere to be seen. We thought they got you."

"No, I—Arthur was—There was an—" He couldn't form a full sentence, Speed Force was burning like a hot iron under his skin. His veins were on fire. His side was hurting and it showed no sign of healing. Barry's clouded mind woke up with this newfound information. He wasn't healing. None of his pains were fading, he couldn't feel Speed Force working under his skin to heal his wounds and put everything back together. His accelerated healing wasn't working. His hands clutched his side worriedly. Still bleeding. "Bats... I—"

"Flash, are you alright?" Bruce's voice changed from annoyed and slightly angry to worried and impatient. "Barry?" When he didn't answer Bruce sighed. "Stay where you are. I am coming to get you." Barry nodded even though there was no way Bruce could see him. It was okay, he could do this. He could stay on this spot for a while, no issues. He gave up and fell face first on the ground. His side protested to this movement, Barry hissed between his tightly closed teeth. He stayed still, had no energy left to move. Just a little bit longer. Then Bruce would be here and everything would be fine. Because Bruce always knows what to do. Sure, he would have a solution for Barry's problem. 

Bruce didn't get him though. Victor did. He was the first one to arrive, followed closely by Clark. 

"What happened?" Victor asked quickly, dropping to his knees next to Barry.

"Careful." Clark said softly. "He is injured." Victor looked down at Barry, carefully and very slowly pulled Barry into his lap, turning his body slightly. Barry whimpered softly. 

"Shh, you're safe, you are with us." Victor said. "We got you."

"Where is Bruce?" Barry mumbled and maybe he wasn't supposed to use real names during a mission but he was far too gone to remember that. 

"He is coming." Clark assured him. 

"What happened? Did you beat the bad guys?" Barry asked, coughing between words. 

" _We_ beat the bad guys. Everyone is safe." Clark said, trying to smile at him. 

"Clark." Victor said, sounding dead serious and nervous. "Blood." Before Clark could answer, Bruce appeared next to them out of nowhere. 

"How is he?" Bruce left no room for doubt, acting fast and smooth. 

"His side is bleeding. And he coughed blood." Said Victor, trying to stay calm. "And I think he has a fever."

Bruce pulled off his glove with teeth, taking off Barry's mask with the other hand and putting his now gloveless hand against Barry's forehead. Secret identities were long forgotten.

"It is not working." Bruce said, frowning. 

"What?" Arthur finally appeared behind them. 

"His healing. It doesn't work."

"I saw him got shot." Arthur said confusedly. "But he seemed fine. I didn't think--"

"It wasn't your fault." Diana said, putting her hand on Arthur's armored shoulder. Bruce took Barry's lean body from Victor, carefully gathering him in his arms. 

"We need to get him back to the Hall of Justice." Bruce said, not paying attention to the small conversation between others. His eyes were focused on Barry's sweat covered face and flushed cheeks. 

"I can carry him." Clark offered. Bruce looked up at him suspiciously, like he was trying to determine if he can trust Clark with Barry's life or not. It was ridiculous, even he knew it. Clark was the best person he knew. And he could trust him. Completely. But for a moment, Bruce got lost in old memories, it was more than Barry. It was about something and someone else. From a time long forgotten now. 

"Okay." He replied shortly. However, when Clark reached for Barry, young speedster's eyes wide opened and his hands clutched Batman's cape. He had a delirious look on his face, black (wait, what?) lightning cackled around them and Barry's body looked tense. 

"Relax, Barry." Bruce said softly, still sounding a bit stoic. "You are not in danger."

"I am sorry." Barry whispered, sounding more like a plead Hands almost tearing Bruce's cape apart. His eyes found Batman's and he looked scared. And hurt. "I am sorry—I couldn't. I tried but--"

"It is okay, Barry." Diana said with her calming tone, the one she used while talking to the victims. "Everything is fine. Calm down."

"I think it's my..." Barry couldn't finish his sentence, coughing again. Bruce looked up at Clark. 

"Take him to the Hall, Clark. Now." Bruce said sharply. Clark nodded and gathered a whimpering speedster in his arms, flying away immediately. Victor looked around him undecidedly, then shook his head, flying after Clark. 

Bruce sighed, he has been in this position before. His role was different back then. One crouching on the ground, two warriors standing close on their feet, not knowing what to do or say. But the body was missing. Barry was gone already. And unlike Clark back then, he wasn't dead. He wasn't going to die.

Bruce looked down at the blood on the ground and his stomach churned. 

It was weird, indeed. 

Bruce was worried sick when they arrived at Hall of Justice even though he was hiding it well. When he entered the hospital wing, he saw Clark and Victor standing side by side and talking between them. His eyes landed on Barry, sleeping on one of the beds soundly. 

"Is he alright?" Diana asked from behind him. 

"We think so. For now." Clark answered as Victor walked toward Barry's bed to check on him.

"Do you know what was wrong with him?" Arthur asked.

"Not really." It was Victor's turn to answer. "We believe there is something wrong with his powers."

"Like what?" Arthur frowned. Barry never showed a sign of having problems with his powers before. He actually enjoyed them and despite tripping over his own feet time to time, he was quite skillful with them. He was getting there. He was going to be an amazing hero. Gem Cities, Central and Keystone, already adored him. 

"His lightning." Bruce answered before Clark or Victor could. "It was black." Clark verified his suspects by nodding. 

"What is that supposed to mean?" Diana asked, worry spread across her face.

Clark looked at them grimly.

"I think it slowly killing him."

**Author's Note:**

> James Forrest, David Singh are real people. And Grodd incident actually happened during Manapul's run. He was actually the chosen one and Grodd tried to eat his brain which he believed would give him Barry's powers. That fucking talking gorilla is mad as fuck and he's pure evil. You have no idea what he did to Central City when Barry was lost.  
> Starro was JL's first enemy in the comics and it's hilarious. It was Starro's first appearance but not the last one.  
> Gem Cities are protected by the Flash family. It's a very long story (including Silver Age comics and Crisis etc). Both Jay and later Wally lived in Keystone. Central City was Barry's. However all the Flashes protected both cities connected by a bridge (Gem City Bridge).
> 
> P.S. I say "that's it, this is the last fic I am writing" but I have so many ideas and I can't stop??? I am working on another Flashborg story while writing this lmao stop me please (seriously, I have so many ideas but my writing is really dull and boring lately :/)
> 
> By the way, I created a tumblr account for DC so, if you wanna reach me; lanthimo


End file.
